Blow out preventing device and oil saver for drilling rigs



June 16, 1931. J MCNEFF ET AL 1,810,431

BLOW-OUT REVENTING DEVICE AND OIL SAVER FOR DRILLING RIGS Filed Oct.23.. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l June 16, 1931. J. MCNEFF ET AL 1,810,431

BLOW-OUT PREVENTING DEVICE AND OIL SAVER FOR DRILLING RIGS Fiied Oct.23. 1s2a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatenteclT-lune 16, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE J'OHN AND SAMUEL EQGAILDF ZPYOTE, TEXAS BLOW our :emivnnrmennvrcn AND OIL sevnnronnmnmue mos Application filed October 23, 1928Serial No. 814,350. H Y

v This invention relates to a blowout preventer for use inoil wellrotary drilling rigs. An object of the invention is to provide a blowoutpreventer for rotary well drilling [Q rigs for association with the topof the well casing which is'susceptible of being quickly installed inoperative position thereon without requiring any changes in the wellcasing, and which will permit rotation as well as vertical movement ofthe drilling mechanism, and which is specially constructed to be readilyremovable from the casing to permit withdrawal and insertion of drillingtools.

A further object of our invention is the construction of a blowoutpreventer having stationary parts which may be readily connected to thetop of a well casing, in which is arranged a rotary element for grippingthe Kelly bar of the, drilling mechanism,

a which permits a rotary motion of the Kelly bar and also permits itsextension into the well. 7

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for carrying theKelly bar during the drilling operation, which will ro- .tate bodilywith the Kelly bar.

- I,Otlier "objects and advantages reside in the a special construction,combination and arrangement of theivarious elements forming theinvention as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein likenumerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which Inthe drawings;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation, with parts'broken away and shownin section, and Figure 3 is an enlarged elevational view of oneof theKelly bar gripping segments.

. Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 5 designates acasting of tubular formation with an opening extending yerticallytherethrough'with its under side provided withaninternally threadedtubu- -ment with the uppei'Lsectionof thewell cas- -inf is threadedlyinserted. lar extension 6 adapted for threaded engage- Pipe extensions 7extend outwardly from opposite sides of the extension 6 and formdischarge ports for the oil flowing upwardly through the casing. Theupper end of the casting is of a substantially enlarged diame- 65 terwith the innersurface of the walls 8 thereof formed with a shoulder 9having an annular groove formed therein and providing a raceway for aset of ball bearings l0.v

The lower head 11 of a collar 12is supported upon the ball bearings forfree rotary movement, the inner surface of said collar being taperedupwardly and inwardly, as clearly illustrated'in Figure 2 of thedrawings and with the outer surface of said collar, immediately aboveits lower edge spaced from the walls 8 of the upper edge of the castingwhereby to permit the fitting of a retaining ring 13 between the collarand the walls 8 and threadedly. engaged with said walls whereby toretain the collar in position" therein.

with the Kelly bar is the usual drill pipe if designated 15'. g

The Kellybar 15' is of a construction well known in the art for use inoperating the drilling tool of a rotary drilling rig and is connected inend to end relation with the drilling tool sections by a coupling membar16. v I

Each of the collet segments 14: is prov ded with an upwardly andinwardly incllned threaded opening 17 having its axis disposed parallelwith the tapered outer surfaces of the segment and through which a screw18 of thescrew 18 is resecured to the a tap bolt 20. t

The upper outer end t'ained in an attaching plate '19 upper edge of thecollar 12 by 5 disposed atright angles with respect to said screw.

The tap bolt 20 is inserted in a slotted opening 21 formed in the plateto provide for the radial adjustment of the plate during the verticaladjustment of the screw 18. It will be apparent from an inspection ofFigure 2 of the drawings that through the adjustment of the screw 18 thecollet segment 14 may be adjusted vertically in clamping posi- 15 tionabout the respective sides of the Kelly bar. I

Furthermore, by reason of the manner of rotatably supporting the collar12 within the casting, the same is adapted for free rotation togetherwith the Kelly bar during the operation of the drilling tool.

A pair of cylinders 22 are formed in the casting, adjacent the upper endthereof and extend lat'erally from the casting at diametrically oppositesides thereof. Pistons 23 are operatively mounted in each of thecylinders, each of said pistons being provided with a piston pin 24extending outwardly through the outer end of the cylinder and slidablyinserted through a plug 25 secured in threadgd engagement at the outerend of the cylin- A nut 26 is cast integrally with the outer face of theplug 25 to provide gripping means for a wrench or other tool whereby tofacilitate'the securing of the plug in position in the cylinder. Theouter end of the Stem 24 is threaded as shown at 27 and protrudesoutwardly of the plug with adjusting AO- nuts 28 carried thereby andserving to limit the inward movement of the piston.

An expansion spring 29 is fitted in the cylinder at the outer end of thepiston and retained therein by the plug 25 for urging as thepiston'inwardly. The inner end of the :cylinder 22 communicates with thecentral tubular portion of the casting, the inner end of the pistonbeing normally retained out of abutting relation with the opposite sidesof the Kell bar during rotation thereof by sliding t e stem 24 outwardlya predeter- 'mined distance and securing the same in such position bythe nuts 28. While the drillingvtool is being withdrawn or blowouts are55 threatened the stem is released by manually turning the nuts 28 andthe springs 29 then urge the plungers 23 inwardly against the Kelly bar.

The inner ends of the pistons '23 are beveled as shown at 30 in order topermit the insertion of the drilling tool through the casting so as tospread the pistons apart when placing the tools in the well and also topermit the vertical movement'of the couplings 16, provided forconnecting the sections of the drilling pipe with the Kelly bar,withoutinterference by said pistons.

-As will be observed from an inspection of Figure 1 of the drawing, thediameter of the cylinders 22 is greater than the thickness of the Kellybar, or the width of the opening within which the same is inserted andaccordingly upon the removal of the Kelly bar and drilling tools fromthe well the pistons 23 will be forced inwardly with their ends inabutting relation thus serving to close the opening through the casting.

In order to prevent the escape of oil or gas about the bevel inner endsof the piston, tapered projections 31 are formed at opposite sideswithin the tubular opening of the casting and provided with beveledvertical edges 32 to provide a snug fit with the beveled ends 30 of thepiston upon the inward movement thereof and thus provide a seal for saidbeveled ends of the piston.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that in view of the manner inwhich the collet segkeepingthe well substantially sealed againsttheescape of theoil or gas therefrom.

It is obvious that our invention is susceptible to various changes andmodifications in construction without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims, and we accordingly claimall such forms of the device to which we are entitled. 1

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a casting forming acoupling for the open end of the well casing and having an openingextending vertically therethrough for receiving the well drilling rod,and clamping means for the rod mounted in the upper end of the castingand comprising a rotatable collar having its inner wall inclined from avertical plane, said collar being rotatable in the casting, a pluralityof collet segments disposed in wedging position between the collar andthe drilling rod, and adjusting means for the segments extendingparallel with the inclined end of the casting and comprising a collarrotatable in the casting having its inner wall inclined from a verticalplane, a plurality of collet segments disposed in wedging positionbetween the collar and the drilling rod,

adjusting screws in said collet segments and v extending parallel withthe,v inclined wall of the collar, and attaching plates carried by thecollar and adjustable radially thereof, aid adjusting screws beingadjustably mounted on the attaching plates.

3. A device of the class described comprising a casing forming acoupling for the open end of the well casing and having an openingextending vertically therethrough for receiving the well drilling rod,and clamping means for the rod mounted in the upper end of the firstmentioned casing and comprising a collar having its inner wall inclinedfrom a vertical plane, a plurality of collet segments disposed-inwedging position between the collar and the drilling rod, adjustingscrews in said collet segments and extending parallel with the inclinedwall of the collar, and attaching plates carried by the collar andadjustable radially thereof, said plates having adjustably mountedthereon the adjust-ing screws, said lates having'their inner endsangularly disposed for supporting the screws at "right angles thereto.

4. A device of the class described comprising a casting adapted forattachment to a well casing and having a central opening extendingvertically therethrough for receiving a rotary drilling rod a shoulderformed on the inner'wall of the casting adjacent the upper end thereof,said shoulder having an annular groove arranged therein whereby toprovide a ball bearing raceway, a collar rotatably supported onsaidshoulder with its inner surface tapered-upwardly and inwardly,

said collar bein ing, attaching p ates mounted for ralial adjustmentupon the upper edge of said colsed inwardly'of the collar in clampingposltion with the rod y and with the outer edges of said segments lar, asegmental collet dis bevelled in conformity with the inner surface ofthe collar, means carried by the attaching plates for adjustablysegments thereto, and a retalning rlng for securing said collar inposition in said casting.

In testimony whereof we our signatures. 7

JOHN McNEFF.

SAMUEL HOGAN.

rotatable within'the cast-

